Display device.



R. W. RALPH.

DISPLAY DEVICE.

APPLIGATION FILED Am. 1, 190e.

964,553a Patented July 19, 1910.

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Patented July 19, 1910.

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TENT FCE.

ROBERT WILLIAM RALPH, OF LONDON, E1\TC"rI.|Al\TD.v

DISPLAY DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 1, 1909. Serial No. 487,123.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT IVILLIAM. RALPH, a subj ect of His Majesty the King of England, residing' at 163 Rosebery avenue, Manor Park, London, England, have invented certain new and usefull Improvements in Display Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in that type of machine for displaying advertisements or other mattei' by day and night which comprises endless tracks supported parallel to one ano'ther and on which are caused to run sliding brackets in pairs, each pair connected by a lath carrying a blind roller having attached to it a blind bearing an advertisement, the other end of the blind being fastened to 'the next preceding lath and so on, means being provided for successively unrolling and extending each blind and holding' the same extended for a certain time. Heretofore in such machines the rollers have been of the ordinary spring winding type and as one blind has been unrolled the preceding blind has been wound around on its roller by the action of the winding spring. The employment of such spring rollers which are expensive and of considerable weight has rendered the operation of the machines unreliable owing to their liability to get out of order, and it only re-` quires a single sp 1ing roller to fail to wind up its blind after this has been extended for display for the machine to be thereby stopped and probably seriously damaged. Further owing to the heavy weight of the spring rollers and to the fact lthat each blind has tobe unwound against the tension of the winding' spring, the power required to drive the machine has been very considerable.

Now the principal object of the invention is to overcome 'these ditliculties b v providing an arrangement whereby the rollers are rotated to wind up their blinds by frictional Contact with .tracks as the rollers are caused to travel along the front of the apparatus. In this way very light and inexpensive rollers can be used and a co-nsiderable saving in power is effected while the operation of the machine is rendered positive and reliable as it is made practically impossible for a roller to be carried across the front of the machine without the previously displayed blind being wound up thereon.

Vith thc above and other objects in view I will describe the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which r- Figure l is a front elevation of the machine without its ou'ter glazed casing. Fig. 2 is a side view of the machine as illustrated by Fig. 1, with one side frame removed. Fig. 3 is a plan view of one of the slides showing how it is fitted to the rail or track. Fig. t is a sectional view of the chain guide. Fig. 5 is a side view of a spring controlled locking catch employed to hold back the lower rollers while one is being raised. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the slides and a portion of one of the chains showing the lifting cam with which it is provided. Fig. 7 is a sectional view of the rail or track for the sliding bracket. Fig. S is a transverse section through one of the roller winding tracks and its carrying bracket. Figs. 9, 10, and 11 are detail views hereinafter referred to.

Referring to the drawings l, 2 designate a pair of side frames connected as by cross rods 3. Attached to said side frames l, 2 by suitable brackets 4 are endless rails or runners 5 of semi-circular shape in cross section. These runners are set with their flat sides facing each other. To slide freely on these tracks are provided slides or brackets G each conveniently having two lugs 7 and having their inner faces lindercut as shown, so that when positioned over the runner 5 as shown in Fig. 3 and cone nected to a slide similarly placed upon the opposite runner, it is impossible for either of a pair of slides to fall out of engagement with its runner and this as will be seen is further insured by reason of the runners being of semi-circular section with their flat faces contacting with the flat sides of the slides G. Each slide is formed with two ribs 8 forming a'recess 9 within which of each pair of slides is fixed the ends of a metal or other lath 10. To the lath of each pair of slides is connected the outer end of the blind 3l which bears the picture or advertisement etc. The blind connected to one lath is normally wound around a plain roller 14 revolubly carried parallel to said lath by the next following pair of brackets 6 as clearly .shown in Fig. 2, all the pairs of the brackets or slides 6 having openings 1l, Fig. 6, for receiving the pivot ends of the Patented July 19, 1910.

rollers. rlhus each pair of brackets or slides 6 carry a lath and a roller, and in manner as will be described, as one pair of slides is carried up or along the runners 5 at the frontJ of the machine, the roller of the moving slides is rotated to wind up the blind last drawn out by the movement of the preceding slides and the lath of the moving slides unwinds the blind from the revoluble roller of the next following slides to display the matter thereon through the glazed or open front of the inclosing casing for the machine illustrated.

rlhe Winding up of the blinds is effected under this invention as follows z-In a plane immediately behind the rollers as they travel up or along the front portions of the runners 5 and at a distance apart substantially that of the width of the blinds 31 l provide two preferably rubber faced tracks 12, 13, which are so arranged as to provide frictional contact with the rollers as the slides are raised. As shown in Fig. 8 the tracks 12, 13 are conveniently kept pressed outwardly toward the rollers 14 by springs 17, each track having two or more bolts 15 which work in brackets 16 secured to the side frames, the free ends of the brackets being boxed out to receive said bolts and -machine during travel and the springs 17 which latter insure under wear especially, sufficient frictional contact between the tracks 12, 13 and the rubber' or other suitable rings 18, 19 mounted on the rollers 14 as these are carried up or along the runners 5 to effect a positive winding up of the blinds after display thereof. The roller winding tracks 12, 13 extend substantially the distance the brackets or slides have (one pair of course at a time) to travel across the front of the machine to display a blind, means being provided to hold the slides at the lower and upper part of the duration of display.

To provide for the continuous periodical display of the matter printed or otherwise provided on each blind, the slides 6 are formed with projections 2O and behind but in the same plane therewith are endless chains 21, 22 running over sprocket wheels 23, 24 and guided (to prevent lateral movement) in a channel guide 25. Each chain has a cam 26 and between the lower part of the chains and the runners are spring controlled locking catches 27 having a cam edge 2S. Normally these catches 27 are in the path of the projections 2O of the slides as these feed around the runners to within the range of the cam 26 so that while one pair of slides with their roller blind is being lifted the next are locked. As the cams however travel around the lower wheels 24 they strike against the cam edges of the catches 27 and pushing these sidewise, come into engagement with the projections 2O and so 1 pied part of the track, m-JJJ, see Fig. 2, short supplementary friccommence to carry up or along, the slides, the next following pair of which is held by the sharply returning spring controlled catches 27. At the upper part of the runners the cams leave the projections 20 and the slides are supported by springs 29 or the like engaging under the lugs 7 as shown in Fig. 1; thus until the cams have passed around again to the lower part of the machine the blind remains drawn out and the matter thereon displayed, this being followed by its rolling up as described during which the next following blind is unrolled. A convenient way of driving the chains from an electric motor is shown in Fig. To cushion the fall of the slides and rollers as they are pushed around the upper curved portions of the runners, should there not be quite the full complement of the slides and rollers in the machine, check springs 30 may be provided at the back of the frames 1, 2, as shown in Fig. 2. In such a case, as a small length of blind would be unwound in traveling through the unoccufor instance from tion tracks 36 may be provided to rewind the slack portion, although such supplementary tracks 36 are not essential.

Fig. 9 is a view showing how the channel guide 25 for the chain 22 and the roller winding track 12 or 13 may be formed in one piece.

As shown in Figs. 2, 10 and 11 a tension plate 32 is provided to keep each blind 31 as it is being displayed taut and close up against the front of the machine. This plate 32 is loosely mounted on a shaft 33 and has springs 34 connected thereto, the other ends of said springs being held by a clip or the like 35 on the shaft 33, the springs 34 always tending to keep the tension plate 32 in the position shown in Fig. 2. Then the roller 14 (see Fig. 2) is moved across the front of the machine as previously described, it will during such movement engage with the tension plate 32, and swing this about the shaft 33, against the force of the springs 34, until clear of such plate when the latter will be returned to its normal position by said springs 34.

The machine at night is suitably electrically or otherwise illuminated as indicated in Fig. 2, suitable reflectors 37 being provided if desired.

Then the supplementary friction tracks are not employed and the main friction tracks have not quite their full complement of slides, a reflector 37 is so formed as to prevent contact between the illuminating lamps and the blinds if unrolled in the return movement.

With a machine constructed substantially as hereinbefore described l am able to effect a considerable saving 1n the cost of production and in the cost of power for driving the same, While it has proved thoroughly reliable and quiet in its working, the Whole of these advantages being mainly due to the elimination of Winding springs for the rollers which at once made these heavy, costly, and easily liable to get out of order, and cause stoppages and frequently serious damage to the machine and its driving motor, While the Weight of the spring Winding rollers and the unwinding of the blinds against the tension of the springs accounted for a large portion of the'amount of power required to drive the machine.

I claim l. A machine for displaying in succession a plurality of blinds comprising aI frame, a pair of slides for supporting one end of each blind, a blind roller rotatably supported in said slides to which the other end of the preceding blind is attached, a pair of endless runners for said slides supported in said frame, means for retaining said slides on said runners, a pair of endless driving chains adapted to move said slides in succ-ession along said runners a distance proportional to the length of the blind, a pair of friction rollers on each of said blind rollers, a pair of tracks mounted in said frame for said friction rollers arranged so as to provide frictional contact as each pair of slides is raised, means for maintaining said friction rollers and said tracks in frictional engagement, means for holding the next following pair of slides in succession as each preceding pair of slides is raised, means on said chain for disengaging said holding means as each pair of slides is raised, means for holding each pair of slides When raised and means for driving said pair of chains.

2. A machine for displaying in succession a plurality of blinds comprising a frame, a pair of slides for supporting one end of each blind, a blind roller rotatably supported in said slides to Which the other end of the preceding blind is attached, a pair of endless runners for said slides supported in said f'ame, means for retaining said slides on said runners, a pair of endless driving chains adapted to move said slides in succession along said runners a distance proportional to the length of the blind, a pair of resilient friction rollers on each of said blind rollers, a pair of tracks mounted in said frame for said friction rollers arranged so as to provide frictional contact as each pair of slides .is raised,'means for holding the next'following pair of slides in succession as each preceding pair of slides is raised, means on said chain for disengaging said holding means as each pair of slides is raised, means for holding each pair of slides when raised and means lfor driving said pair of chains.

3. A machine for displaying in succession a plurality of blinds comprising a frame, a

pair of slides for supporting one end of each blind a blind roller rotatably supported in said slides to which the other end of the preceding blind is attached a pair of endless runners for said slides supported in said frame, means for retaining said slides on said runners, a pair of endless driving chains adapted to move said slides in succession along said runners a distance proportional to the length of the blind, a pair of friction rollers on each of said blind rollers, a pair of tracks mounted in said frame for said friction rollers said tracks being so arranged as to provide frictional contact as each pair of slides is raised, means for holding the next following pair of slides in succession as each preceding pair of slides is raised, means on said chain for disengaging said holding means as each pair of slides is raised, means for holding each pair of slides when raised and means for driving said pair of chains.

a. A machine for displaying in succession a plurality of blinds, comprising a frame, a pair of slides for supporting one end of each blind, a blind roller rotatably supported in said slides to which the other end of the preceding blind is attached, a pair of endless runners for said slides supported in said frame, means for retaining said slides on said runners, a pair of endless driving chains adapted to move said slides in succession along said runners a distance proportional to the length of the blind, a pair of resilient friction rollers on each of said blind rollers, a pair of spring controlled tracks mounted in said frame for said friction rollers, arranged so as to provide frictional contact as each pair of slides is raised, means for holding the next following pair of slides in succession as each preceding pair of slides is raised, means on said chain for disengaging said holding means as each pair of slides is raised, means for holding each pair of slides when raised and means for driving said pair of chains.

5. A machine for displaying in succession a plurality of blinds comprising a frame, a pair of slides for supporting one end of each blind, a blind roller rotatably supported in said slides to which the other end of the preceding blind is attached, a pair of endless runners of semi-cylindrical section for said slides, supported in said frame, lugs on said slides having undercut faces adapted to engage said runners, a pair of endless driving chains adapted to move said slides in succession along said runners a distance proportional to the length of the blind, pair of friction rollers on each of said blind rollers, a pair of tracks mounted in said frame for said friction rollers arranged so as to provide frictional contact as each pair of slides is raised, means for maintaining said friction rollers and said tracks in frictional engagement, means for holding the next following pair of slides in succession as each preceding pair of slides is raised, means on said chain for disengaging said holding means as each pair of slides is raised, means for holding eachV pair of slides when raised and means for driving said pair of chains.

6. A machine for displaying in succession a plurality of blinds comprising a frame, a pair of slides for supporting one end of each blind, a blind roller rotatably supported in said slides to which the other end of the preceding blind is attached, a pair of endless runners for said slides supported in said frame, means for retaining said slides on said runners, two shafts arranged parallel to said blind rollers, one of said shafts being located at a level adjacent to the upper end and the other adjacent to the level of the corresponding blind roller, a pair of chain pulleys on each shaft, an endless chain running over the corresponding pulleys of the two pairs, a projection on one link of each chain, a driving lug on each of said slides adapted to engage with the projection on the corresponding chain, guides for preventing lateral movement of the said chains on the driving side thereof, a pair of friction rollers on each of said blind rollers, a pair of tracks mounted in said frame for said friction rollers arranged so as to provide frictional contact as each pair of slides is raised, means for maintaining said friction rollers and said tracks in frictional engagement, means for holding the next following pair of slides in succession as each preceding pair of slides is raised, means on said chain for disengaging said holding means as each pair of slides is raised, means for holding each pair of slides when raised and means for driving said pair of chains.

7. A machine for displaying in succession a plurality of blinds comprising a frame, a pair of slides for supporting one end of each blind, a blind roller rotatably supported in said slides to which the other end of the preceding blind is attached, a pair of endless runners for said slides supported in said frame, means for retaining said slides on said runners, a pair of endless driving chains adapted to move said slides in succession along said runners a distance proportional to the length of the blind, a of friction rollers on each of said blind pair n rollers, a pair of tracks mounted in said frame for said friction rollers arranged so as to provide frictional contact as each pair of slides is raised, means for maintaining said friction rollers and said tracks in frictional engagement, means for holding the next following pair of slides in succession as each preceding pair of slides is raised, means on said chain for disengaging said holding means as each pair of slides is raised, means for holding each pair of slides when raised, a pivoted device, a spring normally holding said device in position to regulate the tension on each blind and to maintain the extended portion of each blind in a plane substantially parallel to said runners during extension, and in position to be moved out of the path of each rollei at the initial stage of the upward movement of said roller and means for driving said pair of chains.

8. A machine for displaying in succes sion a plurality of blinds comprising a frame, a pair of slides for supporting one end of each blind, a blind roller rotatably supported in said slides to which the other end of the preceding blind is attached, a pair of endless runners for said slides supported in said frame, means for retaining said slides on said runners, a pair of endless driving chains adapted to move said slides in succession along said runners a distance proportional to the length of the blind, a pair of friction rollers on each of said blind rollers, a pair of tracks mounted in said frame for said friction rollers arranged so as to provide frictional contact as each pair of slides is raised, means for maintaining said friction rollers and said tracks in frictional engagement, means for holding the next following pair of slides in succession as each preceding pair of slides is raised, means on said chain for disengaging said holding means as each pair of slides is raised, means for holding each pair of slides when raised, means for illuminating the back of said blinds while wholly or partly extended, a reflector so formed as to prevent contact between said illuininating means and said blinds if uiirolled when returning and means for driving sai-d pair of chains.

9. A machine for displaying in succession a plurality of blinds comprising a frame, a pair of slides for supporting one end of each blind, a blind roller rotatably supported in said slides to which the other end of the preceding blind is attached, a pair of endless runners for said slides supported in said frame, means for retaining said slides on said runners, a pair of endless driving chains adapted to move said slides in succession along said runners a distance proportional to the length of the blind, a pair of friction rollers on each of said blind rollers, a pair of tracks mounted in said frame for said friction rollers arranged so as to provide frictional contact as each pair of slides is raised, means for maintaining said friction rollers and said tracks in frictional engagement, means for holding the next following pair of slides in succession as each preceding pair of slides is raised, means on said chains for disengaging said holding means as each pair of slides is raised, means for holding each pair of slides when raised,

means for checking the fall ofsaid slides in the return movement and means for driving said pair of chains.

l0. A machine for displaying` in succession a plurality of blinds comprising a frame, a pair of slides for supporting one end of each blind, a blind roller rotatably supported in said slides to which the other end of the preceding blind is attached, a pair of endless runners for said slides supported in said frame, means for retaining said slides on said runners, a pair of endless driving chains adapted to move said slides in succession along said runners a distance proportional to the length of the blind7 a pair of friction rollers on each of said blind rollers, a pair of tracks mounted in said frame for said friction rollers arranged so as to provide frictional contact as each pair of slides is raised, means for maintaining said friction rollers and said tracks in frictional engagement, means for holding the neXt following pair of slides in succession as each preceding pair of slides is raised, means on said chain for disengaging said holding means as each pair of slides is raised, means for holding each pair of slides when raised, means for checking the fall of said slides on the return movement, a supplementary pair of tracks mounted in said frame for said friction rollers located near the initial stage of the return downward movement of said slides for maintaining the blinds Wound up during the return movement and means for driving said pair of chains.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT lVILLIAM RALPH. Vitnesses:

A. G. BARNES, J. CoULsoN. 

